Weighted Blanket questions
 

My daughter asked for a weighted blanket so I said "sure", bought the supplies, watched YouTube videos, and let the project sit. The videos did not discuss threads or materials best suited for these blankets. The one her husband bought, since I was taking so long, has broken threads and migrating pellets. What threads, needles and fabric are best suited for this project?

When I made one several years ago, I simply used a good quality cotton quilting fabric and my regular piecing thread. The one thing I did do that might be different was to put the pellets in their own bag before putting them in the quilt pockets. This made the quilt just a bit heavier, but it has held up well. I am thinking of making one using fleece. It should hold up well too.

I noticed a weighted blanket insert at Walmart. You make the cover for it. I think for one that will be washed a lot the insert would be so much better as you will only wash the cover for it. I think it was throw size, not sure. When my DD started asking me to make her one I bought it from Amazon. She doesn't use it much, mostly wanted one to try it out. The bought one is better to try first then make one to last.

I like the little bean bags of the weighted product that slip in pockets on the blanket. They add weight and you just remove them before washing.

the LQS shop owner that is near an Army hospital working with returning injured soldiers told me to use good quality cotton, sew channels to divide up the width and then add about 1 cup of poly beads in each channel, then sew a line across and repeat. She said to double stitch each seam so no beads migrate. I find that it helps to leave some space in the bead channel to make it easier to pin and stitch. She also says that the weight should be 10% of the person getting the blanket weight (i.e. made one for my g-son who is 43lbs, so made it about 5lbs of beads) Because I made one for a small child, my LQS friend suggested to start with a FQ size lap quilt, then make and add additional FQ lap quilt sizes as the child grows. My g-son loves it and it really helps him sleep.

My neighbor asked me about a weighted blanket for her son and after adding up the cost of everything she decided to just buy one. They definitely can be rather costly, now maybe not as expensive with the inserts?

Thank you all for the tips. I already have the pellets for this one so insert idea has to go on the back burner.
I am seriously thinking about individual pouches for each square in the blanket.

Thanks although more work this might be a very good idea. How do you sew the pouches? sew and turn inside out, or just sew around pinked edges?

Here are instructions which can be downloaded.


http://www.sharingtheweight.org/how-...ighted-blanket